Favorite Characters

[April]

So I'm re-watching Roswell right now from the beginning, something I haven't done in about 3 years. And I stated thinking about my favorite characters. So much of the time, we lump these characters together as couples, due to the fact, probably, that the relationships on this show were so epic, I suppose!

But when it comes down to it, who is your favorite character? And if you had to rank them, where would they fall?

AND . . . is there a difference in your favorite characters to watch and your favorite characters to write? (for all the authors out there.) For non-authors, do you have different favorite characters to read?

Here's my list, and I'm narrowing it down to the eight main teens. I'm noticing the top 2 don't change, and probably haven't since the show began.


Favorite Characters on the Show:

1. Michael Guerin
2. Maria DeLuca
3. Kyle Valenti
4. Alex Whitman
5. Max Evans
6. Liz Parker
7. Isabel Evans
8. Tess Harding


It seems to me that, over the years, Michael has stood the test of time of being one of the more well-liked characters on the show. (But I guess we'll see if my perception is right or not, when other people respond to this.) Personally, I love his flaws, and the fact that, even though he tries to be the most alien out of all of them, in reality he ends up being the most human.

I am surprised that I ranked Isabel and Tess below Max and Liz, as my fanfic stories as of late have tended to include a LOT of both Isabel and Tess. I guess, at the end of the day, I didn't like the amount and/or the portrayal of Isabel in Season 3. And even though I think Tess had tremendous potential and I wish so desperately that they had gone a different direction with her, she DID kill Alex.

Max makes #5 for me because I love it when he gets more complex and starts making mistakes instead of being the perfect guy like he was at the beginning of the show. (I realize I might be in the minority, there.)


Favorite Characters to Write:

1. Michael Guerin
2. Maria DeLuca
3. Isabel Evans
4. Tess Harding
5. Max Evans
6. Kyle Valenti
7. Alex Whitman
8. Liz Parker


This one was easier. The girls (with the exception of Maria) seem to have shifted around a lot. Liz is at the bottom because I've always struggled to write her. It's not that I don't like her--she's actually the person on the show who is most like me. But I think it's BECAUSE of the fact that she's like me that I like writing the other characters more. Isabel and Tess both made huge jumps here, as I think that they were 2 of the more complex characters on the show, and I love writing with complexity. Plus, I think Tess was actually adorable on the show sometimes (like when she was with Kyle), so I like tapping into that when I write her.


I'm eager to hear your thoughts, too!

[Tzigone]

Well, I'm a first-season-only fan (don't remember second season much, never watched third), so that colors things a bit.

Favorite Characters in the Show:
1. Isabel
2. Alex
3. Jim Valenti

after that it gets a little fuzzy, but Tess is at the bottom of the list


I'm only just starting to try to write, but my favorite to write is, indeed, Isabel.

Interestingly, Tess comes out as number 2. Much as I adore Alex, I find him a very much what-you-see-is-what-you-get guy. I love him as a character, but I feel like he is so upfront and honest about what he is and what he's about that there's not a lot of point to getting in his head, because his words and actions tell you what's in his head. As of "Destiny" Tess is in such an interesting place: the people who were supposed to love and welcome her didn't. The cold guardian she didn't much like has left her, and she's all alone. I have K/T tendencies and I really do enjoy different ways that could play out. But I also enjoy the idea of Tess realizing destiny is crock - that she can make her own. And she won't have the family she thought she'd have, but she can have one she makes (which is why I'm not big on her developing a BFF bond with Isabel or fraternal bond with Michael - those are part of the false destiny).

Diane is number 3. I really love the family issues. And we got more of Diane than Philip in S1. She absolutely knows something is happening. She seems to have been aware of some things for years. She loves her children so much. And she's scared of losing Max after his words in "Toy House." I love getting inside her head. The only thing I really dislike (and it could be from the show in S2 or S3, I don't know) is the idea that she had infertility issues or many miscarriages or anything like that before Max and Isabel. I particularly dislike the idea that she was functionally depressed before them and not really living or enjoying life. But like I said, for all I know it came from the show.

I am very much mostly a reader, so my favorites in that regard are:
Isabel - introspective of isolation/Stargazer shippy/any family relationship
Alex - devoutly loyal friend who would do anything to help/Stargazer shippy
Michael/Max/Isabel - trio stuff, family (or lack thereof), finding each other, strong bonds, etc.
Jim Valenti - introspective (particularly first season and when he's shifting from pursuer to protector)/fatherly (towards Kyle or even towards Tess)/evaluatory (how he perceives the Pod Squad as they deal with alien crap)
Michael fics - In regards to what Max and Isabel got that he didn't or his own fears or loneliness. Definitely enjoy fic about what Maria brings to his life or how she makes him feel, but I'm thinking more of fics where he thinks about her than fics she's in. Introspective fics.
Other parent fics - I really like seeing fics where parents are aware that something is up, and they worry an wonder, but don't know

Of course, enjoying all these fics is dependent on me agreeing with the depiction of the character in question.

[morethenwords122]

Favorite Characters on the show:

1.Isabel Evans
2. Alex Whitman
3. Michael Guerin
4. Kyle Valenti
5. Maria Deluca

I'm surprised that still to this day i can say my love for Isabel Evans has not changed, especially since she got on my nerves for half of season two and all of season three, but hey, you know what they say 'Love is blind'. But there was just something that attracted me to her character right from the start of the show, which probably explains why i'm a gazer I just understand Alex's attraction to her personality and like Alex, I saw a different side to her than 'ice princess' and i wanted to get to know her character and watch her story develop, expect for season three. I can do without season three Isabel.

As for Michael, Alex, Kyle, and Maria... I just love them! They usually make me laugh, which is a bonus in my book and I have to say that season three Kyle reminds me a lot of myself. we have the same sense of humor and i'm usually goofy to the point of clumsiness

Favorite Characters to write:

1. Max Evans
2. Liz Parker
3. Alex Whitman
4. Tess Harding


I'm pretty new to writing in the world of fanfiction, I only started about 4 or 5 months ago but from what i have written involving the characters of Roswell, i seem to have an easier time writing Max and Liz. Which I find weird since Max and Liz are my least favorite character. Now, don't get me wrong ... I do have moments where i like something Liz or Max did and I even have my own dreamer moments but most of the time, I just roll my eyes when there on the screen. So, it's weird for me to find them the most fun and natural to write ... and that i actually write them as nice, supportive, and even as a 'the glue of the group' type characters. But, it's not the first time I've been surprised while writing

As for Tess and Alex, I like writing Tess and Alex because in fanfiction i get to make Alex and Tess more complex than they actually where on the show. Alex and Tess were to me, pretty simple characters in the show, even Tess's reason for killing Alex was simple in my opinion(But not right): she didn't want to get caught . I always felt that they both had the potential to be extremely complex characters with more complex storylines (i would have loved Alex to have a plot that didn't involve Isabel) So, in fanfiction, i tended to write them as characters that have a lot of plot development or have the most complex relationships or friendships in the story.

Well, that's it - Michael aka morethenwords122

[April]

^ Michael,
That's interesting that your 2 lists are so very different! The fact that your 2 least favorite characters on the show are your favorite characters to write . . . that's a head-scratcher! But maybe it's because you didn't enjoy them as much in the show that you enjoy being able to write them and put your own spin on them? Perhaps?

[AlysLuv]

Favorite characters on the show:

1. Liz
2. Max
3. Michael
4. Maria
5. Iz
6. Alex
7. Kyle
8. Tess

Fav characters to read bc I don't write...that would just be terrible for me, but I have thought about it, but anyways.

1. Liz, a strong one
2. Maz
3. Zan
4. Michael
4. Rath
5. Everyone else lol.

[morethenwords122]

April,

Yep, that's basically it! you hit the nail on the head. Making my least favorite or even my favorite characters different from their cannon personalities is what i love and enjoy about fanfiction. Even, if the changes are subtle

[Eva]

Nice topic, April!

To me, it's easy. From the first moment the show aired, I had very specific preferences. Now, 15 years later, they haven't altered a bit. The fireworks between Michael and Maria spattered from the screen and the dry humour from Maria & Alex killed me every time. Even now, I laugh out loud when I hear their comments.

Favorite Characters on the Show:

1. Michael Guerin
2. Maria DeLuca
3. Alex Whitman
4. Liz Parker
5. Max Evans
6. Kyle Valenti
7. Isabel Evans
8. Tess Harding


Favorite Characters to Write:

1. Michael Guerin
2. Maria DeLuca
3. Kyle Valenti
4. Alex Whitman
5. Isabel Evans
6. Liz Parker
7. Max Evans
8. Tess Harding

Michael stays my favourite character. His flows, his complex character,... I'm not only loving it, it gives a lot of possibilities in a story too. Emotions and humour are very important to me when I'm writing or reading a story. I like to dive in, exploiring every character, bringing up the beloved dry humour from the original thing. If you know that, my top 4 is very self explaining.
The hardest thing for me to write however is not Liz or Max as a person, but the dynamics in their relationship. As a candy I find it very difficult to find the right tune in their interactions.